Envelop.



No. 747,279.4 Patented nec. so, |902..

A. A. mTTENHousE.

E N V E L 0 P.

(Application iled Mam. 1, 1902.\

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

4'um Modl.)

UNITED, STATES ANDREW A; RITTENHOUSE, OF PITTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY.

ENVELO P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,279, dated December 30, 1902.

Application filed March l, 1902. Serial No. 96,302. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW A. RITTEN- HOUSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittstown, in the county of `Hunterdon and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appegtains to make and use the same.

The purpose of the present invention is to guard against the surreptitious opening of letters without rendering detection possible, the envelop being doubly sealed by means of an inner and an outer flap.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings by the same reference characters.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a detail view of the blank from which the envelop is formed. Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the end flaps and thev back partly folded. 'Fig-3 is a perspective view of the envelop as seen from the rearv4 side, the outer sealing-flap being extended and the inner sealing-flap folded.' Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 as seen from the front, the parts being in the same relation and the front of the envelop having a portion broken away. Fig. 5 is a central transverse section. Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in al1 the views of the drawings-by the same reference characters.

The envelop comprises a front l, back 2, end iiaps 3 and 4, an inner sealing-flap 5, and an outer sealing-Hap 6, the several parts being adapted to fold uponthe dottedlines-indicated in Fig. l. The outer sealing-flap 6 is gummed upon its inner or rear side along its three edges. The back 2 is gummed upon its inner side at each end. The inner sealingiap 5 is gummed along its outer edge, so that when folded'between the front and back the gummed side will lie against the front l and when moistened will become attached thereto. One of the end flaps, as 4, is gummed upon its inner side to secure said flaps when folded. The front l and back 2 are of like size and are preferably of rectangular shape. The end flaps 3 and 4 are Of tapering form. The sealing-flaps 5 and 6 may be of any configuration, and, as shown, the outer sealinglap is preferably larger than the inner sealing-flap.

In the construction of the envelop the end flaps 3 and 4 are folded upon the front l, and their end portions are secured in the usual Way. The back 2 is then folded upon the end flaps and is gummed thereto at its ends. The envelop is now ready for use, and after a letter has been placed therein the flap 5 is folded so as to come between the front and back and extend over the letter or contents of the envelop and is gummed'to the front 1, thereby completely sealing the envelop. For

additional security the outer sealing-flap 6 is folded over the back 2 and is gummed thereto, thereby increasing and adding tO the difficulty of opening the envelop without rendering detection possible.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is-- An envelop formed from a single blank having the form substantially as shown and comprising a front, flaps at the ends of the front and of a length to fold thereon and having their terminal portions overlapped and gummed, a back adapted tofold upon the end flaps and gummed at its ends thereto, a sealing-flap at the free edge' of the back to fold into the space between the front and. end iaps and adapted to be gummed to the said front, and a second sealing-flap at the free edge of the front to fold over the Yback andl adapted to be gummed thereto, substantially as specified. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW A. RITTENHOUSE. [its] Witnesses:

E. R. ROBINSON, FLORENCE RITTENHOUSE. 

